The memories of war work their way into peacetime in Antoneta Kastrati’s Kosovan drama, a powerful, visually striking feature debut.
Lume lives with her husband Ilir and mother-in-law Remzije in a small rural village. She is haunted by night terrors – memories of the conflict that ended over a decade before, including events that destroyed their peaceful existence. Childless, Lume finds herself under constant pressure to fulfil her ‘duties’. Remzije even suggests Ilir take a second wife. As a compromise, Lume agrees to seek the help of mystic healers to make her fertile, but their attitudes and incantations only further exacerbate Lume’s traumas.
Kastrati’s film blurs reality and fantasy as Lume’s fears and recollection of the past become part of her present. The result is an original portrait of the impact of war and of the clash between old world values and a rapidly changing modern one.
